Schlage Deadbolt won't unlock to open door so I took off the lock portion to try to open it but the spring broke…nothing moves. It looks like it wasn't installed correctly, because there wasn't a strike plate and I can see that the bolt is stuck/jammed in the door frame. What's the best way to get the bolt out without damaging the door? Thanks.
The deadbolt on the door is broken preventing opening the door.
deadbolt
Related Solutions
If the latch plate is flush with the door edge, the set back is correct. The flat back (faces street for out swinging doors) must be able to extend into the strike plate to hold door. Many alignment issues crop up to pull those 2 edges apart. Door gaps tell what has happened to its alignment over time.
- up/down misalign due to top hinge pulling away from jamb. This will rotate the door down (the door will have a wider gap at the top hinge side), lowering the strike in relation to the strike plate, AND make the door hit the opposite jamb. Sometimes a long screw(3") in the center hole of the top hinge (in a 4 hole hinge, its the 2 inboard holes) can pull the door back. Sometimes this treatment is necessary for the middle hinge also (if there are 3 hinges)
- The strike plate can be filed some amount if the misalign is small (and the hinges are otherwise tight to the jamb).
- The strike plate can be moved, but this gets complicated, as the recess has to move with it. If this is necessary, cutting out and putting in a "dutchman repair", (illustrated below) may be necessary.
First thing you need to do is find the set screw that releases the inside handle. then you pry off the escutcheon plate (trim plate). the two screws you are looking for are under the trim plate.
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Best Answer
This may just be friction from the door frame pressing on the bolt, caused by humidity changes or a shift in the frame. If so, pulling or pushing on the door while trying to retract the bolt may loosen things enough to let you retract the bolt.
If not, you can try pulling the hinge pins and removing the door from that side.